Are We Not Lovers?
by Lailara
Summary: Giles meets someone who is not all she appears to be.


Title: Are We Not Lovers?  
Author: AriellaGiselle  
Rating: R  
Distribution: my usual haunts; anyone else, just ask.  
Author's notes: takes place when Giles is young and in trouble with his parents and the law. Think 19 years of age.   
Disclaimer: I own everything, save for Giles and the lyrics. He belongs to Joss. Words and Music by Anthony Stewart Head and George Sarah, from the Music for Elevators album.  
  
*****  
  
Leolani Venetri was no ordinary girl. She was the one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to see into the future and maybe change it. Her gifts were not limited to the future; they worked quite well in the here and now, bending wills, thought probing, things that the world at large denied the existance of. But here she was, working through school, trying to decide what she wanted to do with her life and her gifts. She had options, of course. She could choose to ignore her talents and become a normal, productive member of society, or she could choose to draw upon her power and become a warrior for the cause. What cause, she hadn't seen yet, but she knew there was one fight she could be involved in, even if it wasn't clear what that battle was.  
  
The lecture ended, and she began packing up her things to leave the class. The school was just what she'd needed to learn to control her gifts. She needed to be around other, more normal people to discipline herself. 'Don't deny yourself, Leolani,' her grandmother had said, 'You've got a great future, and no one will be able to stop you.'  
  
Her powers didn't just stop at mind control; they branched out as she grew older. Telekenesis, pyrokenesis, and anti-aging. She was 19, yet she looked about 16. Her grandmother said that this was prophesied, and that she was not to grow old, that she had so much to do. Leo wished that she could've shut the old bat up. Her grandmother may have moments of lucidity, but they were few and far between.  
  
She stepped out into the courtyard of The West School of Vigilance for Gifted Students. The pack of cigarettes in her bag were calling blissfully to her, and she walked quickly to the Wall, the only place where smoking was acceptable on campus.  
  
The smoke filled her lungs as her head dropped back against the Wall, the nicotine zooming through her system.  
  
"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked. She opened her eyes to glance at him. He was tall, with brown hair and the most stunning green eyes. Simply dressed in a white tee shirt and tight blue jeans, he had a plaid shirt tied loosely around his waist, one side drooped a little low, accentuating his hips. He was, in one word, gorgeous. She reached out to him with her mind, asking if he was here because of his own gifts, but she heard only silence. He must be here for academic reasons, she mused.  
  
"Sure, go for it," said Leolani, trying to sound nonchalant.   
  
He leaned back against the wall and pulled his pack out of the roll in his sleeve. He searched his pockets, then turned to her. "You got a light, miss...?"  
  
Leolani held out her lighter to him and offered her hand. "Leolani Venetri. And your name would be?"  
  
He inhaled the smoke deeply, and handing her lighter back, he said, "Giles, Rupert Giles. Good to meet you."   
  
"Likewise." Leo studied him for a few moments, scanning his mind and enjoying the things she found there. He was here for not only academic reasons, but discipline reasons as well. He'd been in some trouble in London, and his parents had sent him away as punishment. But Rupert seemed to like it here, he connected better with people here. And he thought she was hot. "So," she ventured, "What are you doing Friday night?"  
  
His smile was stunningly genuine, and she felt her knees go weak. His laugh was music, really marvelous music. She amused him. "Well, seeing as I'm kinda new here, maybe you could show me around, hmm?"   
  
She pondered this for a moment, wondering whether she'd like to take him to town or back to the dorms. She chose town, saving the dorm idea for another time. "Sure, eight sound okay with you?"  
  
"Eight it is, ducks." He took one last drag off his cigarette and dropped it on the ground. "Got a class in a few. Thanks for the light, luv, and see ya Friday night." He winked, and taking one last look at her, allowing his eyes to roam a bit, he left the Wall, sauntering off to his class.  
  
Leolani slumped back against the white stone and sighed dreamily. A fit of girlish giggles overcame her. "I've got a date."  
  
*****  
  
The club was dark and smoky, perfect in Leolani's opinion. The Rage was new, and the best place to go on a Friday night in London. Rupert seemed perfectly in his element here, and Leolani could adapt to any situation with minimal trouble. She coyly glanced over to her companion as they sipped their first round of drinks.  
  
"Dance?" she asked simply. His green gaze snapped up to zero in on her, stealing her breath and confidence in one fell swoop. Time stopped and sped up as sights and sounds flashed through her brain at an alarming rate. 'No! Not here! Not now!' she begged silently. "Fuck! No!" she screamed aloud, knocking over her drink, her fingers shaking. Rupert toppled his chair in his attempts to get to her before she fell to the ground. "Get me out of here," she moaned, "Take me away from the crowds." All her willpower went into the command, and she was successful in forcing his will to bend to hers.  
  
He laid her gently on the hood of her black sports car and began brushing the strands of black hair out of her face. She stayed still for several minutes, what could've been an eternity to Rupert, before she sat up, looking weak, her golden-pink hue washed to a ghostly white. His bright eyes blinked at her, in an almost unfocused manner. He wet his lips and blushed a little, a sigh of relief escaping his body. "A-are you okay?" asked Rupert, uncertain of what should be said.  
  
Her head bobbed up and down, her eyes blinking in rapid succession. "Yeah, Rupert, thanks. For getting me out."  
  
"Oh, uh, no problem. So, you want to tell me what's going on, Leolani?" His penetrating gaze leveled all her lies and cover ups and defenses.  
  
"I've got these gifts. See the future, mind control, anti-aging, tele and pyrokenesis, the whole bit. Don't want it, but got it anyway," she said sadly.  
  
"You... You're Maudite La Bénédiction?" The perfectly accented French tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.  
  
Her grey eyes shimmered as tears spilled onto her cheeks. "Yeah, I'm The Cursed Blessing. And it is a curse. It's never been a blessing!" she shouted.  
  
He put his hands on her shoulders, before pulling her flush against his body. His lips pressed gently against the top of her head as he whispered, "It's okay, Leolani, I understand. Believe me, I understand." He pushed her back, cupping her cheeks with his hands, smoothing away the hot tears that still fell from her eyes. He kissed her forehead and hugged her to him once more. "I understand, Leo, and I don't care."  
  
"How can you be like this, Rupert? How can you care so much about me, and you hardly know me?" Her eyes held the quiet desperation threatening to become something tangible, something destructive.  
  
"I don't know, but you're familiar. I know we've never met, but you feel like..." he trailed off, his voice seeming to fail him.  
  
She sniffled softly and tilted his head downwards to look into his eyes. "I feel like what, Rupert?"  
  
His eyes burned with emerald fire, tempered by grey and gold flecks, and he placed an almost chaste kiss on her lips. "Home." At her warm smile, he kissed her again, more intense, more fevered than before.   
  
When they broke for air, he pressed his forehead to hers and whispered, "Would I be insane to say I love you?" She shook her head and kissed him lightly. "Well, then, I love you, Leolani."  
  
"And I love you, Rupert. So, if you're crazy, then I'm crazy, and they'll have to lock us up together." His soft chuckle reverberated throughout her body and she twisted his shirt in her hands. "Let's find somewhere a little less public," she said, not forcing, but pleading with his will to give into her suggestions.  
  
He nodded and ran around the car to unlock the doors. She let herself be picked up and placed in the passenger's seat, content with allowing him to drive them home.  
  
After they had been on the highway a little while, she felt herself becoming bored with waiting to get back to campus. A little fun won't hurt anything, she thought, grinning mischieveously. Slowly, stealthily, she slid her right hand over to hover over his leg before running her fingertips over his denim-clad crotch in feather-light touches. A small gasp escaped his lips and his head swung around to glare pointedly at her. "Oh, so you want me to drive off the road?"  
  
She giggled and renewed her ministrations until he was subconsciously moaning. Rupert snapped back to reality, his eyes darkened with lust and desire. Leo cocked an indifferent eyebrow at him and sat back in her seat, seeming to find her nails fascinating. "Tease," he murmured, and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Real mature, pet. Just you wait. I've got plans for that tongue." Her eyes widened innocently, but she could do nothing about the excited glimmer in them.   
  
Her mind wandered unfocused as she sent out stray thoughts, images of kinky things she could do to him, sounds, smells, and she was hoping he could pick up on them. After a few minutes of that, she gave up. No inherent powers, I guess, thought Leolani. She decided that if she couldn't share the ideas with him, she could sure have fun dreaming them up and trying them out in her own mind.  
  
Coming up with fantasy after fantasy, she felt that familiar ache between her thighs and let her head lay back against the seat. A small moan of what could've been mistaken for anguish came from Rupert, and her eyes drifted downward, finding the bulge in his pants was far more prominent than before. "What's wrong, Rupert, darling?"  
  
"Stop thinking, Leo," he ground out, "This is already painful."  
  
"Thinking? About what?" A childish, but sadistic grin curved her full lips.  
  
"Sex. Kinks. Whatever hot little fantasies you've been playing with over there. Just wait 'till we get back to the dorms." One look at his hands on the wheel was all it took for her to smile. White-knuckled, the veins were pulsing furiously under the skin.  
  
Leolani leaned over in her seat, putting her lips a hair's breadth from his ear, she whispered, "Pull over here. There's a motel about half a mile down this road. Turn right, Rupert." Her tongue flicked out, the pink flesh leaving a wet trail on his earlobe, making him shiver and swerve. "Watch the road, luv."  
  
*****  
  
Days, weeks, months flew by, and Leolani and Rupert became inseparable. The duo had even moved off campus in their own little one-bedroom flat. But Christmas Break was looming dangerously close, and neither had made up their minds as to what to do. His family? No, they were stuffy, prim, and judgemental. Giles worried that if Leo had one of her attacks, his father would flip and report to the Council, and Giles would be damned if that would being happening on his watch. Her family? No, they were insane. Driven mad by perversions of her gifts.  
  
The only logical conclusion was staying home, and Rupert could honestly say that he was fine with that. The snow, the presents, the peace... Ah, it was destined to be glorious.   
  
The only problem: what to get for the one woman who meant more to him than even his mother. It had to be something special, no doubt. Hours wasted themselves away in thoughts of gifts, each more ridiculous than the last, and none perfect for his lover.  
  
The oddest things come to someone in their desperation; a sight, a sound, an aroma, anything can trigger an epiphany, and for Rupert it was nothing more than a phone call from Ethan. Ethan Rayne was starting a band back in London and had wanted Ripper for his lead guitarist. After Rupert declined, saying he had reasons for staying in school at that moment in time, he sat back and thought about his music. It had been two years since he'd even touched his guitar, and he was sure he would be a little more than rusty. What the Hell, he thought, Couldn't hurt anything.  
  
Much to his surprise, he'd forgotten nothing; not the chords, not the quirks of his instrument, nothing had escaped his mind. He toyed around for a few hours, playing old favorites, things he'd learned long ago, then he tryed to play some newer music. His ears were still as good as they ever were, and it wasn't long until his mind stopped controlling his every action. His fingers graced over the strings, drawing out their natural music.  
  
He stopped playing, focusing his mind on Leolani. How was he going to put it all into words? Into words good enough for her. He loved her, that wasn't the question, but how was he going to tell her without sounding completely corny? Digging out a pad of paper and a pen, he began writing the phrases that came into his head.  
  
He stayed with the writing for a while before pulling back and studying his words. Not bad for the first attempt, he mused. With a quick glance at the clock, he set back to his task, strumming aimlessly and humming melodies not yet written, trying to find that perfect balance. Not to worry, he thought, Leolani has class 'til six. That's an hour and a half. Surely I can get something done.  
  
*****  
  
As six o'clock rolled around, Rupert was feeling rather pleased with himself. He took a few moments to stretch his aching muscles before sitting himself back down and rereading the most recent draft of the words. "Are we not lovers? Was this not meant to be? Two star-crossed lovers, borrowed out of fantasy."  
  
A frown crossed his handsome face as he stewed over the words. One word, one single word was misplaced, and he couldn't see it. "Are we not lovers? Was this not meant to be? Two star-crossed lovers, bo... brought... No, two star-crossed lovers, um, born. Yes! Born out of fantasy! Yes, sweet."  
  
He picked up his guitar and started working out melodies. With the lyrics tucked safely in the black leather guitar case at his feet, he could strum and pluck and get as lost as he wanted to in the music without worrying about spoiling the surprise. He could hear the music in his ringing in his ears, and he channelled it into his fingers, hearing the soft strains of his love jump to life, into something living, something tangible.   
  
As the last chords died away, Rupert became acutely aware of soft applause and penetrating grey eyes trained on him. A smile curved his lips as he opened his eyes to gaze at his lover. "Leo, mon amour, you're home." No question laid behind his words, just a statement of relieved fact.   
  
"Yeah, class was over. Did you miss me, Rupert, darling?" Her eyes lit with a gleam Rupert was sure belonged to angels alone.  
  
"Always, Leolani, always. Now, there's dinner in the oven, but I think dessert sounds like a better idea." Mischief was very becoming on Rupert Giles, and he fit hand in glove with Leolani's impish, but slightly shy nature. She nodded eagerly and twirled around him, tapping his shoulder and taking off down the hall.  
  
*****  
  
December 25th was always Rupert's least favorite holiday when home with his family. The endless bickering and waves of parental disappointment and expectation never failed to drive him crazy. He was positive that this year would be far better; he was in his own home, with his own love, free to start his own traditions. No fights, no hatefulness, no bitterness, no resentment; just warm fuzzies and lots of champagne. Sounded like perfection to him.  
  
They awoke to the soft sounds of Bing Crosby crooning out "White Christmas" on the radio. A faint smile crossed Rupert's face as he remembered making love to Leolani to the delicate strains of "Merry Christmas, Darling."  
  
Leolani rolled over to face him, and he would have said she looked like Heaven if he'd been asked. She kissed him softly and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Rupert."  
  
He returned her sentiments and rolled out of the bed, stretching. Having retrieved his guitar from its place in the closet, he sat cross-legged on the bed, facing Leolani.  
  
"What's this, Rupert?" she asked, an eyebrow quirking up in interest.   
  
"Your Christmas gift. With all our money going to the rent, I knew I couldn't afford to get you something expensive, but I wanted you to have something special." He smiled and knew he probably looked like an idiot, but he really couldn't care. "Merry Christmas, baby," he whispered, beginning to strum the first chords of the song.  
  
"Two people find themselves together  
Wonder whether it's a fairy tale romance  
Such feelings  
Steal into what pleasure  
There's no pressure  
Just sit back and relax  
  
I'm a mess of emotions  
Inside of me  
Are we not lovers?  
  
Are we not lovers?  
Was this not meant to be?  
Two star-crossed lovers  
Born out of fantasy  
  
Two people  
Together  
Wonder whether it's romance  
Two people  
Closer, sure,  
This has to be more than chance  
  
Are we not lovers?  
Was this not meant to be?  
Two star-crossed lovers,  
Born out of fantasy," he finished, letting the last few notes hang and die out in the quiet air. "I love you, Leolani."  
  
Her eyes gleamed silver with tears that spilled onto her rosy-golden cheeks. "Oh, Rupert! That was beautiful, my love! I love you, too." She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close and raining kisses over his face.  
  
Life is good, thought Rupert, Life is immensely good.  
  
*****  
  
FIN~ 


End file.
